The present invention relates generally to a magnetic component having a core structure for guiding and concentrating a magnetic field and specifically to a magnetic core structure designed for achieving a desired magnetic flux pattern using a minimized amount of core material to reduce size and manufacturing cost.
More particularly, this invention pertains to magnetic components having ferrite cores for guiding and concentrating magnetic fields. Such components are found in many consumer and industrial electronic devices and are an important part of the electronics industry. Magnetic components of this type, such as transformers and inductors, generally include one or more coils of conductive wire wound around a ferrite core. As current passes through the coil, a magnetic field is generated around the wire. The magnetic field is then concentrated and strengthened by the ferrite core as magnetic flux passes through the core. The shape and design of the core greatly influences the magnetic and electronic performance of the component.
A common core design includes three rectangular solid legs extending from a rectangular solid body, forming the shape of an “E”. Traditional E cores are used in known electrical components. In a basic transformer, for example, the traditional E core is generally positioned with the legs abutting a separate ferrite structure, commonly a rectangular ferrite solid or a separate E core, to form a magnetic flux path through the legs and body of the core and the separate structure. A conductive coil is positioned around the middle leg of the core. The traditional configuration allows magnetic flux to pass through the legs of the core in a closed loop when current is passed through the conductor. Traditional E cores are usually made of ferrite, but may include additional materials.
The traditional E core design is widely used because its simple design makes it easy to manufacture at relatively low cost. Additionally, the design of the traditional E core yields reliable performance because the magnetic flux path follows a uniform route through the legs and body of the core. Yet, despite its design simplicity and convenience for low-cost manufacture, the traditional E core includes non-essential core material in core regions where little or no magnetic flux is present. Non-essential core regions have a negligible effect on the magnetic performance of the core because such regions do not constitute part of the magnetic flux path. The inclusion of non-essential core material in traditional E cores needlessly raises both the cost of manufacture and the overall size of magnetic components.
Others have attempted to produce magnetic components having modified core designs that remove non-essential core material. These attempts include notches on the core body having circular, rectangular or triangular profiles or angled corners. Previous attempts have produced cores that include complex and three-dimensional curvilinear geometries. While more complex curvilinear cores, including pot cores, offer benefits of reduced non-essential core material and desired core performance, they require more expensive and time consuming design and manufacturing processes. The additional cost and geometrical complexity of prior art cores renders them unsuitable for use as a low cost alternative to the traditional E core design.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for providing a magnetic component having a magnetic core structure that reduces both overall component size and manufacturing cost by eliminating non-essential core material while maintaining desirable magnetic and electrical performance characteristics.